Just Bones
by Secondhandmasters
Summary: Brugh still wants to know what Bones mean to him. slight Clay/Burgh (Or as people call this shipping Sandycloakshipping)


Just Bones

The southern gym leader had been working just like any other day, his Pickaxe in his hand and his hat lowered, shadows covering his eyes to hide the slightest sign of tiredness in them. His Pokémon on the opposite side, using its long drill like hand to dig deeper into the tunnel. The sound of the carts moving the gems and diamonds echoed in the huge cave that was the Driftveil gym. A tall man wearing a green shirt with light brown curly hair approached after being escorted, he was thankful there were people to show him the way to Clay, this tunnel could get anyone lost. "Boss, there is someone here to see you. He says he's the leader of Castelia City" Clay stopped smashing the rocks for a second as if he was thinking if he wanted to talk to his visitor right now or not before he gave the silent answer by going back to his work and not replying. The worker turned to face the tall man. "I'm sorry, come back another time"

Burgh frowned; he placed both hands on his hips in a waiting matter and tabbed the floor with his shoes like an impatient housewife. "The man told ya to come back later didn't he?" Clay finally spoke. "So get outta my Gym"

"Clay, that's not very nice, I came here all the way from Castelia City" The other gym leader crossed his arms over his chest and Clay sighed, slamming his pickaxe on the floor.

"What do ya want Burgh? Is it important?" He asked without even turning to look at the other man.

"Well… I just wanted to talk to you about something, I-"

"Is it important?!" Clay repeated, cutting Burgh off. Burgh gulped suddenly feeling the seriousness in Clay's voice and he feared that he angered the southern man. There was silence just for a moment before Clay spoke again. "Is team plasma tryin'a harm or steal any other Pokémons? Is it another Pokémon outbreak? Jus' spit it out"

"No… I just-"

"Then it ain't important"

Burgh shook his head then walked closer to Clay, placing a hand on his shoulder, finally the king of the mines turned his head just enough to look at Burgh. The artist gave him a soft smile that made some of the anger on Clay's face wash away. "How about I take a look around town then come back… maybe an hour later?"

Again Clay looked as if he was thinking before he nodded. "Fine, alright Burgh. We'll meet in an hour"

"Thank you" Burgh grinned before giving Clay a quick hug then following his escort outside.

Clay's eyes widened and he froze when Burgh hugged him; he was never use to being hugged, he was thankful it was only a short quick hug because he wouldn't know how to re-act if Burgh was waiting for him to hug back. The gym leader shook his head and picked up his pickaxe, it was time to focus back on his work, he has an hour before that bug lover returns to distract him once more.

Burgh looked up at the sky, he wondered how could Clay stay in such a dark place for so long and not be bothered by it. He shrugged the thoughts away before heading to the Driftveil market. He had always heard that this place had anything and everything. Maybe he could find some tools for his paintings.

Clay removed his hat and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Work was finally wearing him out. He couldn't remember how many hours he had worked today, or any day. The southern sent his Pokémon back to its pokeball, and sat down nodded at the workers as he made his way to the elevator silently excusing himself. When he was about to hit the arrow to go up, the elevator came down and Burgh peeked through the bags he was holding to look at Clay. "Oh, hi. I'm sorry." He took a step aside and Clay stepped into the elevator, he glanced at Burgh from the corner of his eyes before he let his pickaxe rest in the corner of the elevator and he picked up some of the bags Burgh was holding. "I can hold them, you don't have to help"

"Sure ya can princess"

The elevator stopped and the doors slid open. Burgh headed for the door but stopped when he noticed Clay wasn't following. He looked back at the other man and blinked. "My office is this way…" Clay mumbled and the artist nodded and followed. "Put yer bags in the corner an' be sure not to forget 'em when ya leave, I don't feel like havin' to go all the way to Castelia City an' bring ya yer grocery" Clay put down the bags and Burgh did the same. "Now what did ya wanna talk about?"

Burgh searched through a little bag he had brought along with him and took out a fossil. "Remember this? You gave it to me a few years back" he looked down at it and smiled. Clay rested his chin on the back of his hand and nodded.

"Why do ya still have it? I thought it would be worthless to ya by now"

Burgh shook his head then ran his thumb over the fossil. "No, it helped me with many artistic blocks. A few years back, you told me to take it and see if it helps me figure out what bones mean to me. I stared at this fossil for days, and in the end I knew what bones meant to me. It's a part of what both you and Lenora said. It's money and it's love, and it's death, it's the beginning and the end…." The man paused before he locked eyes with Clay. "Can I ask you again Clay? What do bones mean to you? I mean you've been digging your entire life right? And you saw many of them" Clay's face turned pale and he sighed. Burgh could see there was a story behind that sigh so he waited for Clay to speak but he didn't. "What is it?" He asked, but Clay shook his head declining to answer. "You can tell me Clay, we've been friends for a long time, trust me?"

Clay licked his lips before looking at Burgh. "3o years ago I started diggin' this mine, ya know why? Because my ol' man did too, an' it caved… Bones? Yeah I've dug many but none was his. It's what I was lookin' for but no luck… It don't matter though, in the end they're jus' bones" Clay waved his hands gesturing for Burgh not to push the subject any further and so he didn't.

"Come to Castelia City, not today… but someday. I want to show you the things I've painted; they'll be the one to talk about how much I've understood about bones"

Clay rubbed his Chin before nodding. "I'll give ya a ring before I decide to hit yer city. But from the look o' it I sure can tell ya worked hard" He gave a faint smile that quickly faded away, but Burgh caught it and it made his own smile widen.

"I did and I hanged them, but you know… every time I look at this fossil I remember you…" Clay had a confused look on his face that made Burgh quickly change his words. "I mean you and Lenora; you both gave me a chance to really understand something that turned into beautiful art"

Clay nodded. "Pleasure to be o' help to ya, but there was really no need for ya to come all the way from Castelia City jus' to thank me, especially for soemthin' I did for ya years ago"

Burgh shook his head and let out a soft chuckle. "You don't get it do you? I still have it because it's important to me… and…. It was given to me by someone important to me."

Clay couldn't stop himself from grinning; he rubbed his nose before he returned the chuckle with one of his own. "I feel flattered that ya find me to be an important person"

Burgh was glad to have the chance of hearing Clay laugh; he leaned closer to the man and kissed the corner of his lips making Clay stop and the smile changed into slightly parted lips, his brown eyes now wide in surprise. "Thank you" he rested his forehead against Clay's, he felt a bit bothered by the gem on Clay's hat but he decided to ignore it and just paint a fresh picture of Clay's flushed surprised face in the back of his mind.

Clay was speechless for once, all he could do was stare at Brugh's eyes and that made the young artist laugh again. "I'll just take my things and leave now. Promise you'll visit," Burgh stood up, put the fossil back in his bag and carried the bags waiting for him in the corner. "I'll be waiting for your call, Ta Ta." He didn't wait for Clay to reply he left and closed the door after him. At that moment both men had two sides fighting inside them, the positive side that enjoyed what had just happened and the negative side that was being shoved away by the loud noises of the positive side's cheering.

Clay shook his head and laughed to himself before he stood up; this was too much for one day. He picked his pickaxe and decided to head back to work just to get the positive side to calm down a bit. But something was telling him he'll be feeling happy for a long time.

END


End file.
